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| Anti Israel extremists of Meah Shearim (Arutz Sheva) |
I don’t know anything about Evyatar Elbaz. But he has
apparently arranged for something he calls a ‘Victory Round’ to take place on
Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day) in the heart of Meah Shearim. Where riots have recently taken place
which have included some of the most despicable behavior ever by religious looking
Jews! As Elbaz noted in an article in
Arutz Sheva, those riots ‘have turned the lives of Jerusalem residents into
hell in recent months.’
"The peak of course was the violent and despicable behavior of those extremists who desecrated the funeral procession and kidnapped the body of the baby who drowned in a hotel in Ashdod. This is compounded by Jerusalem road-blocking, vandalism of city property, injury to haredim who decided to join the army, and of course their traditional contempt for state symbols such as Memorial Day for Israel's Fallen Soldiers and Independence Day,"
Elbaz and other activists will arrive Sunday in jeeps flying flags of the State of Israel. He says he is not afraid and is prepared for every neighborhood resident reaction. "They have to understand that with violence and crazy extremism they won't achieve anything," Elbaz stressed.
The problem with doing this is that it will not change the
hearts and minds of people that believe the worst about Israeli leaders, -
having referred to them more than once as Nazis. A march through those
neighborhoods on a day that they consider a tragedy for the Jewish people will only make them angry.
It may even spark violence between those proudly carrying those flags
and those that spit on it.
As much as I understand and agree with Elbaz’s motives, I am strongly
opposed at this march. Whatever statement they want to make will be outweighed
by the violence that may very easily ensue.
His goal of conveying to them that violence and extremism won't achieve anything will fall on deaf ears. It won’t work,.
I don’t know what will. I have no real clue how to prevent future riots by those Israel haters. These
are people with a mission! They are ideologues that will not compromise. They view themselves
as guardians of the gates of Torah... soldiers for God at war with those that they think want
to destroy it.
They see opposition to the State as a religious imperative – worthy
of great sacrifice! And obviously worthy of hurting fellow innocent Jews in
the process. Whatever it takes! For example setting
dumpsters on fire which has been a tactic of theirs in the past creates toxic
fumes that can easily harm the sick and elderly of their own neighborhoods. But they don’t care. For them, it’s all about their cause! Sound familiar?
The truth is that violent protesters of Meah Shearim have a
lot in common with violent Islamic Fundamentalists. Their views on Israel - sourced in their religious beliefs - are for all practical purposes identical. They
are both religious extremists that want Israel destroyed and are willing to hurt
others when it suits their purposes.
So a mere march with Israeli flags down Meah Shearim’s main
street will only strengthen their resolve and might result in violence that will not serve to advance their goal.
Instead of marching against them in their own neighborhoods, any ideology that causes the kind of continued riots that happen in this community should be condemned. Religious leaders that promote it should
be isolated from the rest of the observant civilized world. They already have a start in
that direction. They self isolate from the rest of us.
But even that is not enough. Although I don’t think it will ever happen, their
rabbinic leaders who promote that ideology need to be condemned by the entire mainstream Orthodox establishment same as it does the extremists on the Left.
There can no longer be any kind of apologetics for them. There
can be no “I condemn what they do but I agree with their motives’. No more ‘puff pieces’ in Charedi magazines about how wonderfully religious they are - and even how idealistic their anti Israel views are. Their leaders need
to be completely ostracized by the rest of the Torah world as ‘Chutz L’Machane’ - outside the camp of Torah! A virtual Cherem if you will!
That should be accompanied by full support of the government to crack down on them if and when it happens again. No more pity. No more‘trying to get them off’. If laws are broken they ought to be punished to the full extent of the law. With the complete unequivocal support of all of mainstream Orthodox leadership. Protests to that should be followed with similar consequences. Even if every single one of them ends up in prison.
There are those that say, that even this won’t help. Perhaps
they’re right. But as least the world will know that these people do not represent
the Torah no matter how loudly they scream it.
